Onslow County sees a spike in flu cases

Published: Saturday, January 5, 2013 at 08:18 AM.

Brown said it is important to get a flu shot because it provides one of the best defenses from getting the full blown flu.

“There is a bit of a misconception that the vaccine will make you sick,” she said. “It is true that you may still get the flu because there are various strains floating around. But, many times, when people have had a flu shot, they will not get the flu or they will get a milder version.”

She also said that getting a flu shot is important because it protects those who are unable to get a flu shot because of age, religious beliefs or allergy.

“If more people have this protection, it provides a cocoon around those who cannot have (the flu shot),” she said. “For example, if you have a newborn, and everyone in the family is getting the flu shot, you are protecting the newborn as well.”

Along with getting a flu shot, there are several precautions residents can take to keep the flu from infecting their home.

“There are some powerful things people can do,” Brown said. “They’re so simple that I don’t think people realize how powerful they are.”

She said residents should wash their hands and wash them often, taking a little extra time to do a deep cleaning.

Influenza is making a comeback after a relatively mild season last year.

Pam Brown, public information officer for the Onslow County Health Department, said that North Carolina as a whole is reporting widespread flu activity.

“In fact, a report from the State said that this is the largest flu outbreak in the past decade,” Brown said.

Onslow County is not immune.

Amy Sousa, media relations coordinator for Onslow Memorial Hospital, said that last year was a mild flu season everywhere, but this year there is a spike.

“We are definitely seeing an increase in flu in the emergency department visits,” she stated in an email.

In December 2011, there were 210 total tests administered at Onslow Memorial, and only one person tested positive for the flu. Last month, the hospital administered 489 tests and 60 tested positive for the flu.

Sousa stated that the hospital is discouraging anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms from visiting patients.

She said that there are some hospitals in the surrounding area that have restricted visitation, but Onslow Memorial has not.

Brown said residents can still benefit from getting a flu shot and can check with their primary care provider or pharmacies around the area to get one.

“It’s not too late to get your flu shot,” Brown said. “It is one of the best things people can do.”

Brown said there are still regular dose, state-provided flu shots available at no cost to residents at the health department.

“As long as our supply of the state vaccine holds out, we will continue to give it out,” she said.

The Onslow County Health Department has walk-in clinic hours Monday through Wednesday and on Fridays from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. On Thursday, walk-in hours for flu shots are 12:30 to 6 p.m.

Brown said it is important to get a flu shot because it provides one of the best defenses from getting the full blown flu.

“There is a bit of a misconception that the vaccine will make you sick,” she said. “It is true that you may still get the flu because there are various strains floating around. But, many times, when people have had a flu shot, they will not get the flu or they will get a milder version.”

She also said that getting a flu shot is important because it protects those who are unable to get a flu shot because of age, religious beliefs or allergy.

“If more people have this protection, it provides a cocoon around those who cannot have (the flu shot),” she said. “For example, if you have a newborn, and everyone in the family is getting the flu shot, you are protecting the newborn as well.”

Along with getting a flu shot, there are several precautions residents can take to keep the flu from infecting their home.

“There are some powerful things people can do,” Brown said. “They’re so simple that I don’t think people realize how powerful they are.”

She said residents should wash their hands and wash them often, taking a little extra time to do a deep cleaning.

People should also wipe down surfaces with cleaning solution and change bedding often if someone has been sick in the house.

“People don’t realize that things they use most often and seem clean are very unsanitary,” she said. “Don’t forget to sanitize your keyboard and sanitize your cellphone. People think, ‘I’m the only one touching it, so it’s fine,’ but, for example, if you’re touching a door handle and then touching your phone, you don’t know what you transported from the door handle to your phone.”

Brown said to remember to regularly sanitize children’s toys, try to not touch your face a lot to keep germs from getting into your mouth, eyes and nose and keep space between items like family toothbrushes.

“If the family’s toothbrushes are in the same container, and the toothbrush of someone who is sick touches another, it can pass those germs on to the other brush,” she said.

And, in a season of hugs and handshakes, Brown said it may be best to refrain.

“Keeping six feet or more distance can help out when people have been sick,” she said. “You can wave to people instead of shaking their hand.”

Brown said that if residents are sick, they should stay home until their fever has been gone for 24 hours without medicinal aid. The same goes for children.

“It really protects everyone around you if you just say you’re going to need a couple of days off,” she said. “You’re not just protecting yourself — you’re protecting others.”

For more information about the flu vaccine, contact the Onslow County Health Department at 910-938-5851.

Contact Daily News Reporter Tabitha Clark at 910-219-8454 or Tabitha.Clark@jdnews.com. Follow her on Twitter at @TabithaLClark or friend her on Facebook.